AbbVie and BMS partner for Rova-T, Opdivo, Yervoy cancer combo
pharmafile | July 26, 2016 | News story | Manufacturing and Production, Research and Development | AbbVie, BMS, Yervoy, opdivo, rova-t
AbbVie and Bristol-Myers Squibb have announced that they will collaborate on a clinical trial to test some of their leading oncology candidates to see if they can form a potent combination therapy in fighting relapsed extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.
BMS’s Opdivo (nivolumab) and Yervoy (ipilumab) and AbbVie’s Rova-T (rovalpituzumab tesirine), a compound they recently acquired in their $5.8 billion acquisition of Stemcentryx, will be tested for their safety, tolerability and efficacy as a combination therapy.
It is hoped that Rova-T’s ability to deliver targeted cell killing and antigen release will enhance the immunotherapeutic effects of Opdivo and Yervoy.
AbbVie acquired the promising Rova-T therapy in its recent acquisition, yet the recent presentation of data at the American Society of Clinical Oncology congress was met with a lukewarm reception from investors, resulting in shares falling 5%.
BMS, on the other hand, has gone from strength to strength with its continued updated data for Yervoy and, especially, Opdivo. Most recently, the combo treatment was approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK for the treatment of skin cancer.
Small cell lung cancer is a particularly difficult to treat form of cancer, with limited treatment options meaning that the five-year survival rate for extensive forms of the disease is less than 5%.
Jean Viallet, global clinical research lead in oncology at BMS, says: “We are excited to explore the potential benefits of combining Bristol-Myers Squibb’s immunotherapies with a targeted approach like Rova-T in small cell lung cancer where the need for new therapies is particularly acute for this aggressive form of lung cancer.”
Scott Dylla, VP of R&D at AbbVie, comments: “By combining immune-checkpoint inhibitors that prime the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells with Rova-T’s approach to target cancer stem cells, we hope to build on our goal to develop differentiated treatments with therapeutic benefit that elevate the standard of care for small cell lung cancer patients”
Sean Murray
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